Robbery suspect is caught

Thursday

May 29, 2008 at 12:01 AM

A Florida man was arrested yesterday after allegedly robbing a central Columbia bank at gunpoint while wearing a wig, mask and sunglasses.

Responding police officers caught up with Johnny D. Miller, 40, of Pinellas Park, Fla., before he could return to a motorcycle he had parked about two blocks away from the bank, Columbia police Capt. Brad Nelson said. Miller was being held today at the Boone County Jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action. No bond was set.

Columbia police went to First National Bank, 10 N. Garth Ave., at about 3:30 p.m. in response to a robbery alarm. A man had entered the business, displayed a gun and demanded money. The suspect ran west away from the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

Officers set up a perimeter west of the bank and spotted the suspect running through an apartment complex west of Doctor's Park about eight minutes after the robbery, police said. He was captured about 20 minutes after the robbery at 33 E. Broadway, an office building that houses Re/Max Boone Realty.

Nearby Grant Elementary School already had dismissed students when teachers noticed police vehicles in the area. School employees did not know what was happening but spread out quickly to ensure that children were safe, Principal Beverly Borduin said.

Teachers moved children who were still on school grounds to the back of the building. Some Grant employees stopped children from crossing Broadway until the commotion died down, and other teachers ran across Broadway to catch up with students walking home.

"They were quick to respond and courageous," Borduin said. "Grant staff was truly outstanding and took care of children, as they always do. It was an emergency situation, and they took care of it very well. I'm very proud of them."

Nelson credited a quick response by patrol officers with helping to apprehend the suspect before he got back to the motorcycle parked at a nearby apartment complex. "And we were able to get up there before he could even walk two blocks, which I thought was pretty impressive," he said.

Officers found evidence, including the wig, sunglasses and a bag containing the bank's money, police said. A loaded semiautomatic handgun was later found in an area that the suspect had fled, police said.

Sgt. Ken Hammond described the wig as fake hair sewn into a ball cap. Miller also was wearing a "homemade mask" over half his face, Nelson said. "He had somewhat of an elaborate disguise."

Miller told investigators he had been in Columbia for two or three days and had a sister living here, which police were unable to verify, Nelson said. The bank robbery is the first one in Columbia in more than a year, Hammond said.

This morning, Borduin said she planned to visit classrooms to talk to the children about what had happened. The school assigned staff members to be on hand in case students needed to talk more about the incident. District administrators also plan to meet with Columbia police to discuss ways to improve communication.

"I think we would have all wanted better communication through this whole incident," she said. "But the important thing is that, not knowing anything, staff responded quickly. Children and families need to know that Grant staff is taking care of them."

The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to call the Major Crimes Unit at 874-7423 or submit a tip through the CrimeStoppers Web site at 875tips.com.

Tribune reporter Janese Heavin contributed to this report.

Reach Joe Meyer at (573) 815-1718 or jmeyer@tribmail.com.

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